Oh.. where to start 
I've always found it striking that some Egyptian patterns are still recognizable in a number of folios, especially in quire 13 (bathy) and the month roundels.
These are images I've shared before, but it's nice to have them all in one thread:
![[Image: roundel.jpg?w=616]](https://herculeaf.files.wordpress.com/2016/06/roundel.jpg?w=616)
What I've collected above are just some of the many examples of images that are found on the counter weights of Egyptian menat necklaces. These were a sort of aegis, a shield worn on the chest symbolizing protection. As we can see in the Egyptian examples, the common theme is protection, and in some cases fertility. Also, being hidden on the water.
What struck me is that the pattern around these nymphs was the same, as wel as the flattened-circle shape of the body of water. These nymphs appear to be crouching and lying low, especially compared to the ones in the other body of water on the page, which makes me believe that the "hidden" quality is important here. Diane, if I recall correctly, you also thought of these nymphs as being portrayed as "not visible".
If we compare the parallel lines between the border on top and the top nymphs' heads, we can also see that a similar pattern is used to symbolize the papyrus stalks, for example in the bottom left menat necklace.
I have also noted that a number of patterns in the barrels correspond to patterns on Bastet's dress. Bastet was a goddess of fertility and protection, and her statuettes became very popular in the Greco-Roman period. Scholars aren't sure of the meaning of these varying patterns, but the most reasonable assumption is that they are just supposed to indicate that the fabric is intricate, valuable... This might give us a clue about the meaning of some of the patterns on these nymph baskets:
![[Image: patterns.jpg?w=616]](https://herculeaf.files.wordpress.com/2016/06/patterns.jpg?w=616)
And of course, once one starts looking into Egyptian art, it becomes clear that the way the VM draws flowing river water is a very common Egyptian custom. Diane has also noticed this before. I attach my comparison between two VM folios and a Ptolemaic period scroll:
I've always found it striking that some Egyptian patterns are still recognizable in a number of folios, especially in quire 13 (bathy) and the month roundels.
These are images I've shared before, but it's nice to have them all in one thread:
What I've collected above are just some of the many examples of images that are found on the counter weights of Egyptian menat necklaces. These were a sort of aegis, a shield worn on the chest symbolizing protection. As we can see in the Egyptian examples, the common theme is protection, and in some cases fertility. Also, being hidden on the water.
What struck me is that the pattern around these nymphs was the same, as wel as the flattened-circle shape of the body of water. These nymphs appear to be crouching and lying low, especially compared to the ones in the other body of water on the page, which makes me believe that the "hidden" quality is important here. Diane, if I recall correctly, you also thought of these nymphs as being portrayed as "not visible".
If we compare the parallel lines between the border on top and the top nymphs' heads, we can also see that a similar pattern is used to symbolize the papyrus stalks, for example in the bottom left menat necklace.
I have also noted that a number of patterns in the barrels correspond to patterns on Bastet's dress. Bastet was a goddess of fertility and protection, and her statuettes became very popular in the Greco-Roman period. Scholars aren't sure of the meaning of these varying patterns, but the most reasonable assumption is that they are just supposed to indicate that the fabric is intricate, valuable... This might give us a clue about the meaning of some of the patterns on these nymph baskets:
And of course, once one starts looking into Egyptian art, it becomes clear that the way the VM draws flowing river water is a very common Egyptian custom. Diane has also noticed this before. I attach my comparison between two VM folios and a Ptolemaic period scroll: